Free lung cancer screenings for smokers in England

The scheme could provide almost one million scans and earlier treatment, and is set to cost £270m annually once fully established.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suggests the scheme could provide “a lifeline to thousands of families across the country”.

The GP records of patients for those aged 55 to 74 will be used to identify current or former smokers.

The GP records of patients will be used to determine who may be at high-risk of lung cancer (Image: PA)

How will the lung cancer screening programme work?

Under the programme, patients will have their risk of cancer assessed based on their smoking history and other factors.

Those considered high-risk will be invited for specialist scans every two years.

It is estimated the rollout will mean 325,000 people will be newly eligible for a first scan each year, with 992,000 scans expected per year in total.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the first phase of the scheme will reach 40% of the eligible population by March 2025, with the aim of 100% coverage by March 2030 following the rollout.

The first phase of the targeted lung health check scheme by NHS England resulted in more than 2,000 people being detected as having cancer, while 76% were found at an earlier stage compared to 29% in 2019 outside of the programme.

In total, during the initial phase almost 900,000 people were invited for checks, 375,000 risk assessments made and 200,000 scans were carried out.

Speaking about the scheme Mr Sunak said: “And while we focus on cutting waiting lists in the short term, we must also look to tackle some of the long-term challenging facing the NHS, including lung cancer which costs 35,000 lives every year.

Around 48,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year (Image: PA)

“Rolling out screening to high-risk 55 to 74-year-olds will save lives by detecting up to 9,000 lung cancers a year at an early stage.

“The NHS has treated record numbers of cancer patients over the last two years, with cancer being diagnosed at an earlier stage more often and survival rates improving across almost all types of cancer.”

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “Identifying lung cancer early saves lives, and the expansion of the NHS’s targeted lung health check programme is another landmark step forward in our drive to find and treat more people living with this devastating disease at the earliest stage.

“The NHS lung trucks programme is already delivering life-changing results, with people living in the most deprived areas now more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage, giving them a better chance of successful treatment."